“Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs. He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many,” a statement on his website said on Saturday, Reuters reported.
However, it did not give a cause of death. In recent months Buffett had canceled shows due to health issues.
Buffett, a two-time Grammy nominee and recipient of numerous Country Music Awards, established his reputation by touring his folk-country tunes across the United States during the 1970s.
His pivotal success came with “Margaritaville,” a melodious song infused with tropical rhythms that quickly became a staple for resort musicians and a beloved vacation anthem for the somewhat carefree baby boomer generation. The song’s lyrics, which touch on “wastin’ away” and having “nothing to show but this brand new tattoo,” contributed to its enduring appeal.
Additional well-loved songs, each sharing a sun-soaked and cocktail-infused theme, encompassed hits such as “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” and “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes.”
US President Joe Biden issued a statement on Saturday on Buffett’s passing, calling him a “poet of paradise.” It said: “Jimmy reminded us how much the simple things in life matter – the people we love, the places we’re from, the hopes we have on the horizon.”
Reuters further reported that throughout his six-decade career, Buffett launched more than twenty albums and graced countless stages with his performances. Simultaneously, the “Margaritaville” concept evolved into a comprehensive lifestyle brand, encompassing a wide array of offerings from hotels and dining establishments to pool floats and frozen shrimp dishes.
For his devoted ageing enthusiasts, affectionately referred to as “Parrotheads,” an exciting development came in the form of the inaugural “Latitude Margaritaville” retirement community in Florida in 2018. Subsequent communities quickly emerged, promising a blend of “culinary delights, entertainment, music, and a sense of escape” tailored to those over the age of 55.
The idea for the “Margaritaville” brand began in the mid-1980s when Buffett noticed people walking around Key West wearing t-shirts with his (misspelled) name on; he responded by opening up a t-shirt store and then added a cafe.
He told Forbes in 1994 that “if you’re an artist, if you want to have control of your life … then you gotta be a businessman, like it or not.”
James William Buffett, born on December 25, 1946, in Pascagoula, Mississippi, spent his formative years in Mobile, Alabama. He was the son of a well-travelled army engineer and the grandson of a seafaring individual whose influence instilled in him a lasting passion for the ocean and a strong desire for adventure. Buffett pursued journalism during his university years and eventually relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where he embarked on a career at Billboard Magazine.
During his time as a student, he had already begun honing his guitar skills and performing on the streets for tips. In Nashville, renowned as the epicenter of country music, he released his debut record in 1970.
However, it was in 1971 that he stumbled upon Key West, and it was there that he truly found his purpose. Situated at the southernmost tip of Florida, closer to Cuba than the US mainland, Key West has always been known as a haven for artists, nonconformists, and avid drinkers. Notably, the renowned author Ernest Hemingway called the island home during the 1930s.
“Key West will always be a part of me,” Buffett said in an interview with the Miami Herald in 2022. “I really found myself I think as a writer down there… I’m just glad that I was able to utilize it and it did for me as much as I did for them.”
Buffett’s folksy calypso music that channelled the Key West mode of life quickly made him popular.
“Come Monday” was his first hit in 1974, although it was 1977’s “Margaritaville” that really took off. Beyond Florida, his songs hit a nerve with those who didn’t care too much about their jobs, who smoked pot and drank tequila and lived for their beach vacations.
Throughout his career, Buffett launched 27 studio albums, penned a Broadway musical featuring his songs titled “Escape to Margaritaville,” and authored several books, with 1989’s “Tales from Margaritaville” being a notable work. In 1999, he also founded Mailboat Records, a record label, Reuters reported.
Buffett entered into matrimony twice during his life. He shared three children with his second spouse, Jane Slagsvol, whom he crossed paths with in Key West during the 1970s.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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Updated: 03 Sep 2023, 06:48 AM IST